15 YA Books You Should Read If You Love Netflix's "Dash And Lily"

If you’re a fan of the Dash & Lily Netflix series, you probably know it’s based on a book by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan — but did you know there’s more books in the series? Three, to be precise. The first book, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, formed the basis for Season 1 of the show, while book 2, Twelve Days of Dash & Lily takes place a year later and the third book, Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily is set a year later once again. It’s a lot of fun to check in with these two every Christmas and see how things progress and change.

If you love Dash & Lily, chances are you’ll adore Rachel Cohn and David Levithan’s other collaborations, too. They have several, but Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist was the first. And yes, it was adapted into a great movie starring Kat Dennings and Michael Cera. Like Dash & Lily, Nick & Norah takes place in New York City, this time over the course of just one night. It’s full of adventure and romance and music references.

What’s better than one holiday romance? Twelve, of course! This anthology features stories from some of the best YA authors in the business — including David Levithan himself. With stories centred around Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and even Winter Solstice, it’s the perfect cozy escape for the holiday season.

You might be familiar with the Netflix adaption of this book which came out in 2019. Let It Snow tells three interconnected stories, all taking place during a Christmas Eve snowstorm in a small town. There’s stranded trains and kisses with strangers, best friends who might be more, and a bit of self-growth with a side of revenge. What else could you want?

Main character Bailey is not unlike Lily in Dash & Lily — she loves Christmas and baking and bookstores (in fact, she works in one). And she’s desperate to find someone to kiss under the mistletoe. There are two very different boys in her life who might just be able to make it happen, and it’s all very adorable.

Moving away from holiday romances but still very much in the realm of cute contemporary escapes, Late to the Party is about a girl called Codi who has lived a quiet, “boring” life, until one day she crashes a party with friends that changes everything. She befriends a boy there who introduces her to a new world and new adventures — including a romance with a girl called Lydia.

This book probably needs no introduction. If you haven’t already read it, you must have at least watched the Netflix movie (once or twice or 117 times). And if you haven’t WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GO DO THAT RIGHT NOW. And if you’re someone who loves the movie but hasn’t gotten around to reading the book yet, consider this your prompt. The love story of Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky is just as sweet on the page.

If adventures in New York is what you loved most about Dash & Lily, this is the book for you. It’s a romantic and moving story that follows budding actress Evie and musician Milo as they embark on a manhunt across New York City in search of Evie’s super-famous grandma, Gigi, who has gone into hiding.

Now for adventures in a totally different city: Paris! With a much better romance and much more likeable characters than a certain Netflix show (and no, I don’t mean Dash & Lily this time). Anna and the French Kiss is about an American teen who gets sent to an international school in Paris, where she meets a British boy with a French name. It’s completely swoon-worthy and will also make you want to eat a lot of croissants.

This stunning collaboration is about Maya, a Muslim girl whose life is unravelling, and Jamie, an extremely introverted Jewish boy. The pair team up and enter the world of local activism and political canvassing. They were formerly childhood friends, and when they meet again, things are awkward…until they’re less awkward and more extremely romantic.

Craving a bookish romance? Words in Deep Blue is one of the best. It’s set in a secondhand bookstore that contains a section called the Letter Library, where people can leave notes in the books. The main characters, Henry and Rachel, are former best friends who drifted apart for complicated reasons and are getting to know one another again. It’s all pretty damn magical.

Another bookish story, this time about a girl named Mary who is obsessed with classic romances and constructs a “Scoundrel Survival Guide” based on her reading experience. Of course, she soon discovers real life is not like a story. The love interest, Alex, is rather lovely, but one of the strongest parts of the book is actually the exploration of friendship.

Two teens run the social media accounts for their family’s rival food businesses, and get into a fight on Twitter that quickly goes viral. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to each other, they’re also talking on an anonymous chat app — and falling for each other pretty hard. The characters are very endearing, and it’s a fun and funny ride.

Jumping off from the dare angle of Dash & Lily, this book is about a boy named Bryson who is dared to date someone new every week. When a boy named Kai is the one who asks him out, and Bryson says yes, both of their lives are turned upside down. It’s an incredibly tender love story with characters you just want to hug.

Okay, so enough about dares, how do you feel about pranks and hoaxes? Amelia Westlake Was Never Here is about two girls — a goodie goodie and a misfit — who form an unexpected partnership to secretly expose some shady stuff going on at their school. The book explores important themes of feminism and smashing the patriarchy, but it’s also a really gorgeous enemies-to-lovers romance.